Analyzing Discourse Functions in Student Research Reports to Assess Gains Due To Research Experiences

Roman Taraban, Texas Tech University

Brianna Bennett, Texas Tech University

Xiaofang Zeng, Texas Tech University

Abstract

Two case studies are presented that concern the assessment of
scientific discourse in undergraduates research papers. An assessment
methodology was developed capable of tracking and evaluating the level and kinds
of changes that result from students participation in laboratory
experiences. An upper-level performance limit was established by analyzing
journal articles written by the students faculty mentors. Students were
compared to mentors in terms of the frequency of use of higher-level (e.g.,
stating a hypothesis) and lower-level discourse functions (e.g., stating
background information), as well as with respect to the syntactic complexity of
their respective sentence constructions. In self-reports of research knowledge
and skills, students express gains that are not evident in their papers,
suggesting that the written form poses specific challenges. We consider
prospects for automating the assessment of students research papers by
using electronic means to assist in the identification and enumeration of the
types and frequencies of discourse functions in these papers.